Machine for automatically manufacturing welded wire chains, rings, &amp;c.



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i iihle others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1,629,805. iiiAoniNn Foa AUTo. iiiA'rioALLv M A N U r A CTU RIN o WELDEI) WIRE CHAINS, RINGS,l

&C. CiiAaLss L. GaAvss, Milford, Conn.,i assignor to The Automatic Welding Ma-i chine. Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a Coi'- poration of Connecticut. Filed Aug. 23, 1910. ASerial No. 578,529. 2 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CiiAanizs L. GaAvss. a l citizen of the United States. residing in the l town of Milford, county of New IIaven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Automatically i\'lanufactnrin felded i Wire Chains, Rings, &c.: and I f o declare i the following to be a full, clear, and exact l description of the invention, such as will enpertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for manufacturing wehled wire chains, but more particularly refers to machines of this description that are cong sti-acted and operated so as to forni a hip weld at the side of the chain links, and not at the ends thereof.

'Ilie object of my invention is to produce 3 a machine that will automatically forni and I weld the links, connect a partially formed link with a previouslv completed link without any twisting of the lin s, and compress the links at their welded points so as tot eliminate all undue roughness incident to the welding, and with these. ends in view in v I invention consists in the details of construction and arrangement of piirts hereinafter! referred to :ind then particularly iointed i ont in thf` claims which conclude tiis desci'iptioii.

ln thi` aeroiiipanying drawing l"igure 1 is :i plan view of my improved machine-Fig.

l a lside elevation-l"ig. 5i a fi'oiit end ,i view l"ig. t a section at tlu` lnc (i, o, of

l l"ig. l"ig. 5i a section at the line fi, l1, of l l'ig. .2---l"ig. G a section at the line. c, c, of lig. ..--lig. 7 a section at the line (l, (1,5

of |"ig. 1` and Figs. 8, 9, l0, and ll, detail 1 lirokeii plan views showing particularly the i position of the several instriiiiieiitiilities iinnicdiately associated with the wire in perfoi-ming thi` various operations in the formation of the link, connecting a partially formed link with a previously completed link. and delivering the. links to the welding t devices and to the forming grippers. Similar nuii ierals of reference denote like parts in thc several figures of the. drawing. i lii my pending application Serial No. l 515,751, filed Sept. 2, 1999, I showed and dei scribed a machine for iiiakingwclded wire l chain in which the weld was at the ends of i Ilie linksl while. the latter when held at thc welded ciid were twisted so as to liriiig the l rear portions of the links in a vertical plane preparatory to receiving the ends of a subysequent link. In my present improvement the weld is at the sides of the links, and the links are not twisted but. are merely turned from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane preparatory to receiving subsequent.. partiallyformcd links, all of which will be clear from the following description.

'l`lic actual tools or devices which are iiniiiediatcly associated with the link blanks in the manufacture of the completed chain rcccive proper movements from suitablelevers, cams, racks and pinions and the like, which are very ordinary in their construction and operation and do not require any particular description and therefore I will Imerely refer to such parts briefly confining my specific descriptions to the devices and operations that are. closely related to the wire itself.

l is the frame of the machine aml Q is the iprimary slide adapted to reciprocate within lany suitable ways in the bed of said frame. Il is the secondary slide inovahle in ways within the 'slide Q so that it will he under- 1Qstood that these slides have independent liiiovemeiits. Journaled within the slid@ 3 in lanv suitable iiiaimcr is an elongated rotary iinion 4 which is carried by said slide in its flengthwise movements but is capable of a free independent rotary movement. l 5 are the primary bending tools carried by the forward end of the slide 2, and 6 is the. lsecondary bending tool `carried by the forward extremity of the pinion 4.

7 is the power shaft suitably joiirnaled within theI frame of the machine, and carrying the power pulley 8, worm 9, and spur gear 10.

ll is a shaft journaled in the frame of the machine and carrying cam wheel 12 and large gear 13 which latter meshes with the spur 10 whereby movement is communicated from the power shaft. to the shaft 1l. Within the sides ofthe. gear 13 and wheel 12 are cam grooves (not shown) within which extend rolls l-l, 15, shown in dotted lines, that are carried hy the rear extremities of the slides Q, 3, whereby the proper iiiotons are iuipiirted to these slides.

16 is a shaft joiirnaled within the frame of the machine, aiul extending at right angles to the power shaft 7` and carrying at. one extremity a worin wheel l7 which is in mesh with the, worin 9 whereby rotation will he given to this shaft 16.

1H is a cam wheel carried by the `sha ft 1G and havingdriisits side a groove. 19, and 20 is a vertical slide adapted.to move in ways iii the lied of the machine and carrying at its lower end a roll 21 (shown in dotted lines) which extends within thc groove t9, whereby movements are imparted to this slide foi' the purpose presently to be explained. .22,

. s 21%, are pins which project upwardly from one" 9&5

the top of the slide Q0 and constitute the i mandrels around which the several bending; y operations are performed. These mandrels} t l are four in number, the outer ones 22 beingl lSCCOndary Slide 3 will now be operated to 1 i shorter than the inner iiiaiidrcls 28 for thei tiually bend the blank around the inner f t purpose presently' to be explained. wise carried by the shaft 16 is a cam wheel .24 having therein a groove 25, and .26 is a i extremities of the blank around the outer mandrels 22, and immediately thereafter the slide 20 will be slightly lowered and the mandrels 23, the lowering of the outer mandrels 22 by the movement of the slide 20 being necessary in order that the secondary 1 rack bar normally engaging the pinion 24,' Slide 3 may 'clear them. As the slide 3 perand provided with a roll 27 (shown in dotted lilies) which extends within thet groove 25, whereby said rack bar may be given a vertical reciprocatory movement so f as to rotate said pinion.

28 is an anvil block secured to the frame l of the machine and having secured therein a quill 2t) through which the wire for thei cliain is fed,4 the neighboring bending tool 2 5 being so formed that it will operate as a cutter to sever the wire blanks at its iiiitiiil forwiird movement, all of which is quite: ordinary and requires no detail description. i

immediately beyond the slide .20 are gripl per formers 30 that are suitably securedK within slidablc blocks 3l guided in siiit able ways within the bed of the machine,

and immediately bevond these formers ait` the welding electrodesl that are likewise.

secured to slidablc blocks 33 iidnptcd toi move in suitable ways in the bed of the macore and properly connected with the electrodes.

l have not illustrated any current wires or miv manner of connecting the electrodes chine, and 84 are electrical conductors exil tending through and supported by the usual j machine and formed into gear segments lt' l at thi` upl ici' extremities and adapted to enin the i under portions of the blocks 3l. the lower ends of these levers being equipped. with rolls 39 which engage a cuni llt) carried by the shaft. 1G, a spring 40 having its ends .secured to lsaid levers` serving to keep these i rolls in contact with thc cain so that. as the latter revolves proper sliding movements will be. given to the blocks 31 whereby the formers 30 mav he closed or opened as the v occasion may demand.

t1 are levers` pivoted to the frame of the machine and carrying at their lower ex trcinities rolls 4*. which engage cam 43 on the shaft lt' and are maintained in such en ga ement. by means of the spring 44 whose ends arc secured to said levers, the upper extremities of the latter being suitably engaged with the blocks 38, whereby the movements of this cam /tl will control the opening and closing of the electrodes. i

After a blank has been cut off by the initial movement of the primary slide .2 the latter in its further advance will bend the forms this final bending operation it will jam the newly formed link against the sides i of the gripper formers 30 thereby imparting a final set to the links, and the secondary bending tool 6 will then be given a quarter i turn by the action of the rack bar 26, thusl bringing the newly formed link to a vertical plane, after which the welding and gripping takes place. I

Referring more particularly to Figs. 8, t), 10, and 11, the operation of the parts in i their proper sequence is as follows lrei su posing a previously welded link to be i he d in vertical position between the gripper formers 30, as shown at Fig. 8, tlte primary slido first advances, severs the blank and bends the ends thereof around the outer iiiandrels as shown at Fig. t); the slide 20 now operates to withdraw the outer mandrels and the secondary slide 3 advances and finally bends the blank around the inner niandiels and simultaneously connects the newly formed link with tlu` link held be tween the gripper formers` :is shown at Fig. l0; the gripper formers are now withdrawn und the welded link discharged therefrom` and the secondary bending tool t is then revolved a quarter turn and advances to bring the newly completed link between the. electrodes, as shown at Fig. ll. and after the weldinr opciatioii thc secondary slide is rctractcdl until the newly completed aud welded link is between the gripper forincrs whereupon the latter are. operated to grip the lilik in its welded part :ind thereby inipart a proper smoothness and finish thereto, and the link is then held, as shown at Fig. S, between these grippcrs preparatory to the formation of the next link. 'l`he extremities of the link are brought together and subseqncntly welded at the side of the link and not at the end, so that, after the link has been turned to a vertical plane the previously completed link will readily drop out of tie way and be sus ended from the end of the newly formed ink so that the side of the latter is perfectly free to be pi'csented both to the welding electrodes and to the gripper formers. x 4

'lliere is no twisting whatever o'f t'lllidinkg and the provision of the. special grip formers insures uniformity in appearance at the welded portions.

As I said before, it. is not deemed necessary to go into any detail explanation of the operation of the several cuius. levers` rack and pinion and the like, .since these elements i 0 2,7 gj

operate in the usual manner to bring about l turn and delivering it to the welding dethe sequence of operations required.

If desired, any suitable bracket 4:, may be bolted to the frame of the machine aiid provided with pulleys 46 over which the completed chain may be led as shown at Fig. 3, where the dotted line 4T represents the chain.

My improvement may al .i be utilized for the iir ose of nianufactvsing.1 welded rings, or tie inks themselves may be welded and not connected together since there is a coininercial use for welded links separately, and

in this instiince it would not be necessary that the secondary slide should have any rotar movement, because provision would not iave to be made for connecting the blank for a subsequent link with a previously completed link.

l l l i i i t' l l I claim as new and desire to secure by Iictters Patent is 1. ln a machine for automatically inakinfY welded wire-l articles, the combination with the weldin devices and the gripper formera of mec'anisin for forming the article (rom a blank with the ends meeting at one eide of the article and subsequently inserting `said article first between the welding devices and afterward between the gripper lorineis.

.1. ln a machine for automatically man iifactoring welded wire chain` the combination of a vertical slide carrying outer and inner mandrcls ol' dilleieiit heights. a pri iuarv horizontal slide for cutting otl the blaiiks and bending the endsl of the latter around the outer mandrels, means for depressing said vertical slide to withdraw the outer maudrels. :i secondari' horizontal .slide for linally bending and forming the pnt*- tiallr -onipleted link around the inner mandrels and siiiiultaneouslv coimectiiig said i link with a previously completed linl\',\veld ing devices to which the partially completed link is delivered b v the partial advancement of .said secondary slide, a pair of gripper forliiers toisliiipingthe welded portions `of a completed link and holding said link .in position to receive the. partially com receive and shape the completed web pleted link. and means for operating said slides iii a c vcle of operations.

.'l. ln a liiacliiiie for automatically inaking welded wire chain, the combination with weldin" devices adapted to receive and weld tl-ie ends of a partially formed linkand a pair of gripper formei's ada ted to led link and to hold the same. in position to receive the endsI ol` n succeeding partially formed link. ol' mechanisms for forming said suc- (feeding link from a blank and connectin'r it with a previously completed link, for bodily tnrniitg said succeeding link a quarter i l i is bent and formed, primary and secondary i slides carryingr forming tools adapted to cooperate with said mandi-els in forming a succeeding link and connecting it. with a previously completed link held by the, gripper foriners, and means for operating .said ll'aving thus described my invention what.

lvertical, primary and .secondary slides in n iproper sequence whereby the blank is yformed into a iartially completed link around said innnrlrels, the latter withdrawn the link then given a quarter turn and detlivcred to the .weldingr devices the latter irelaxed and the completed welded link dcilivered to the gripper formera.

5. ln a. machinetorvautomatically making welded wire chain, the combination with the welding devices and tbc gripper formt-rs, of meclianistiis for forming a link from a blank with the. ends meeting at onel side. of the link. turning the link bodily and then inserting it first between thc welding devices and afterward between thi` gripper foitiiers. and means for operating said mechanisms in the. sequence described.

ti. ln a machine for automatically making welded wire chain. the coiuhiiiatioii ot welding instrumentalitics. gripper tormers, a vertical movable slide carrying four :transversely alined vertical inandiels' the two inner mandrels being longer than the outer mandrels, primary and secondary .slides which operate to bend and form a succeeding:r link around said mandrels and to connect said link with a previously welded and completed link held between the gripper formers, and mechanisms for operating said instrumentalities` formeis and slides in a cycle of operations, whereby the blank for a succeeding link is primarilil bent. around the outer inandrcls the latter withdrawn and the final bending and connecting with a previously completed link etlected around the inner mandrels the latter withdrawxipand the iartially formed link turned bod'i'lji aritltleliveretl between the. welding instruliientalties and welded and released and inally.delivered to and held by the gripper formcis in comp'eed form in position to receive the ends of a succeed ing link.

7. In a machine for automatically male, 'i ing welded wire chain, the combination with i the welding devices and the gripper forniers, of mechanisms .for forming the liiik from a blank with the ends meeting at. one` side of the link, for forcing the ends against@ the sides of t-lie forinei's whereby the link;

is set, for turning the link bodily and then inserting it first between the welding devices and afterward withdrawing it, and in- Isertiiig it between the-gripper formers, whereby the link is finished at its welded portions, and means for operating said mechanisms in the sequence described.

8. ln a chain-making machine, the combiiiiition of a vertically reci iroeating.Y block provided.\vith three bencing.,v abutiuents 2 rigidly secured thereto and eoinprisiingr a 7 comparatively long vertical pin to engage a blank centrally .and with two eouipara-v i i l i l i l l l tively slioitpins to engage the blank at the vends, horizontally reciprocating bending means, means for delivering a blank hetween the pins and said means, mechanism for advancing thebendiiig means to bend= L first the ends and then the middle of the blank against the pins on said block, and y means for retracting the block after the end bending operation sutlciently to disengage the end bending pins from the blank before it is bent iiround the longer central pin.

E). ln a eliain-iiniking inaeliine` the conibiuation with :i suitable frame, of a pair of plungers adapted to reciprocate horizontally to\\'ai'd and from each other in order to Iiold a link. link-forming,r mechanism for bending a. blank into a link and passing its ends through the previously formed link held by said plungcrs; and means for operating said plungers at definite times with respect to said link-forming mechanism, to release said previously formed link when the newly-formed link is joined to it.

ln testiinonv whereof I allix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

CHARLES L. GRAVES.

litnesses l". \V. Siii'i'ii, Jr., M. T. Loxoosx. 

